OT: Saving a buck - great dinner!!

I've been buying these frozen roaster chickens (at Aldi's). They are $0.79/lb . . . so a nice size chicken is still just under or just over $4.00. They do take overnight and half the next day to thaw. . . so allow enough time for that. I've done this three times now . . . having company for dinner. Last evening we had four extras for dinner . . . so there were 6 of us eating and only one of them was a light eater. I took this nice chicken and washed it, put it in a shallow pan, seasoned it well, and popped it in a 350 degree oven. No basting, no buttering, no cover, no fussing. 2.5-3 hours later, we enjoyed a scrumptious dinner. I carved the bird and served it w/mashed potatoes, gravy, steamed carrots (also cheap), and cole slaw. Well . . . I am always shocked at how far one chicken will go. After dinner, I boned the remaining meat and put it in a pie tin, added the leftover gravy and enough frozen mixed vegies to almost fill the pied tin. Today . . . I'll just cover it with some pie pastry (no need for a bottom crust . . . the top is always the best anyway and I feel less guilty eating pot-pie this way). So NO COOKING tonight!!! So . . . last night's meal was a bit of work . . . but my guests (my kids and grands) actually helped a lot. It was a beautiful meal and the TOTAL meal was ander $7 . . . and I get the bonus free meal tonight!! I thought this might even work for some of you who have too small a group for a turnkey dinner on Thanksgiving. This is the third time I've roasted a chicken in three weeks and everyone just raves about it. (I'm addicted) I think the cooler weather has me enjoying my oven WAY too much because I've been making a lot of bread and pies too. I've acquired a pie dough recipe that makes 6 single crusts and it can be stored a long time in the fridge or it can be frozen . . . So I can whip up a pie last minute too!! Wooo hoooo!!! I hope each of you reading this will soon have enough energy to enjoy simple daily tasks like cooking. I sure don't take it for granted. I think of ALL of you every time I am able to normal stuff like this. Sending each of you your choice of apple pie or pumpkin pie!! Blessings!

Rosie now ya got me hungry! That is a great idea. They have an aldi's in poncha city which by chance I have to drive thru today to get to newkirk. The stupid pharmacy mails my scripts and they got lost in the mail. Now they are making me pay to get them filled again! It's not even my fault and my meds are are like 800 bucks! I told them to give me a week supplu and hopfully the meds will show up. Anyway back to the meal. With the economy what it is times are tight. So every bit helps. I don't know if you seen that commercial for the fuzzy blankets with the sleeves. They are 20.00 bucks a peice but they are bogoso I ordered them for everyone here to get thru the winter. Hey if I can spent 70 bucks with shipping for 4 people for christmas I'm doing great!

Well thanks for the tip enjoy the night off from cooking.

love ya

carol

((((( Carol ))))) Sorry about your meds. AHHHHH!!! I hope they show up soon. *sigh* so expensive!! Your gift idea is FAB!! Great find!! Jennifer . . . YUM! I do some similar meals here . . . the raisins in the pulled pork sound really good! I'll have to try that. I'm getting some great mileage out of dried beans too. A pound of beans costs about a buck and I'm finding that if I do the overnight soak method, they come out really tender (trick is to NOT add any tomato product until they are fully tender, as the tomatoes stop the tenderizing). So the beans have tons of fiber and protein w/o any cholesterol and fat. Yeah!! Now I'm trying to find ways to include them in rice dishes etc. Thanks for your ideas! Always nice to have a new trick up our sleeve!! Blessings!

Got it Jennifer! I used to make a lot of stir fry's . . . just hadn't thought of it recently. I have some fresh ginger . . . I think I'll try that. Blessings!

(((((((( Firebabe ))))))))) If you do decide to do a Turkey . . . the same rules apply. Season it well and put it in a shallow pan, stick it in the oven . . . no basting, no butter . . . just let it cook until the timer pops up or until you can wiggle a leg and it feels like you could pull it right off. (or check it with a meat thermometer) You can ask one of the guys to carve it. Its really funny . . . even the ones who don't cook will take you up on it, IF you ask. At the end of your party, divide the leftover turkey into several zip-lock bags. . . and send it home with your guests. But . . . if its already in the zip-lock bags . . . you might want to pop them in your freezer and have ready food for soup, pot pie, etc. Also . . . MAKE SURE you make a menu and ask each guest to bring an item or two. Be specific and tell them exactly what you need. Good luck!! Blessings!

Hey Judy . . . I've done the veggies inside the bird . . . but never heard of turning it over. I guess I'll have to try that one. I haven't tried the lemon either. Mmmmmmmmmm. Blessings!

One year I tried a Emeril Lagasse (sp?) turkey recipe where you baste it with butter and maple syrup and lay strips of bacon on the outside! It was good!

Went last night to by all the stuff for our church Thanksgiving Dinner. My sis and I cook it every year for our ACTS program. (people who attend Alcohol/Chemical Treatment Seminars at our church) We got two huge turkeys from Winn Dixie for under $40 bucks. ONe was 18.7 lbs. one was 23 pounds!!! (butterball) Judy

Okay, just made this tonite and it was awesome. Take that left over chicken off the bone and heat it up in a pan with some onion and a little oil. Put it aside in a bowl. Make one package of Rice a Roni chicken flavor, when you add the water and seasoning, throw the chicken and onions in and finish cooking as the package directs. It was easy and really good.

Mmmm...I love rice a roni! Lynnwood i'll come debone the chicken 4 ya if I can stay for dinner! Anybody have a good dessert recipes?

Here's an easy dessert that kind of reminds me of terramisu, forgive spelling. Take regular premade pound cake, can even be the frozen kind. Cut slices about 1/2 and inch. Put one slice down and spread with Nutella hazlenut spread, then place another slice of pound cake, followed by more Nutella , make as many layers as you want and top with fresh whipped cream. YUMMY!!!!

This is an awesome dessert called butterfinger cake...You bake german choc. cake mix in a sheet pan as directed, when it cools you cover with condensed milk,then you spread on cool whip, then you put a layer of crushed butterfinger candy bars, llast you drizzle with carmel ice cream topping.  It's awesome!  I love the caramel recipe using the condensed milk, i'm going to try it!  Judy